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What Are Music Educators Doing and How Well Are We Doing It?
Williams, A.D. (2007). What Are Music Educators Doing And How Well Are We Doing It?. Music Educator’s Journal. 94 (1), 18-23.
What Are Music Educators Doing and How Well Are We Doing It?
“And the school music programs, which traditionally have given students the precious oppotunity to hear what real instruments sound like from both a player’s and listener’s perspective, are in the toilet (Williams, 2007)”, is the opening introduction of this particular article. The article explores the similar concerns of music educators in the decline of stadards in music education, that is teaching and learning. Williams (2007) cites a quote by Reimer, which suggests that “music education as we know it today… is facing a potential crisis of irrelevancy.” The National Standards in our local schools have been imposed for the past ten years, but its effective implementation in the classroom is questionable. From my personal experience in primary schools, I have also come to question this same issue. I must admit, that in now in hindsight, I do not recall many positive musical experiences in primary school. But now, as a a practising musician and pre-service teacher, I wish to make music classroom in the future to be positive, implement National Standards which are expected of me, and utilise specialised music education technology. I believe that my experience and knowledge, I am now fully equipped to teach music effectively and positively to children who deserve a good music education.
The article comments on the shift of music education for today, that “our [teaching] profession is not prepared to react to, nor seems to address in any serious way… We are entering an era when interactions with music are more complex (Williams, 2007)”. Also, that ‘our preofession will continue to keep its eyes closed’ to the changes and advances. I can see where the writer is coming from, from my experience, as much as teachers want to be able to teach music using the new digital technologies, they are not able to because they do not have the skills and training, time and financial support to do so.
The article does end positively, William (2007) states, “we need leaders in the K-12 schools to step up and begin to offer programs more relevant to students–programs that embrace everything digital technologies, as well as other relevant alternatives, make possible for student learning.” Tomorrow’s teaches need to be prepared and willing to take on new music education technologies. ‘We need to really think about what we are doing and be determined to do it better.’
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